Dental articulator.



J, DAVIS Cw H: LEUOHSBNRING.

DENTAL ABTIGULATOR.

APPLICATION FILED D3019, 19114 Eatenied Mar. 13, 3.915

3 SHEETSSHEBT 1.

7 n A B m. M

0 12 1 l wmwm cf J. B. DAVIS & H. LEUGHSENRING.

DENTAL ARTIGULATOB AFPLIGATION FILED 330.19, 1911.

kiwi-51,1913.

Patented 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

v Wbiwwwa J. B. DAVIS z H. LBUUHSENRING.

DENTAL ARTICULATOB APPLICATION FILED DEG l9, 1911.

Patented. Mar. 11, 1913,

3 SHEETBSHEET 3.

I :1? 6 jg mmmmnmuwmg umwmamfmmamwmy m M5 96 i w Imcmtom BEST AVAlLABLE ooe UNITED OFFICE.

JOHN B. DAVIS, OF LANsDowNE;ANDn mANNLEucEsENmNe, 0E NORWOOD, PENN- sYLvANIA,Ass1eNons 'ro THE 5. S.'DENTAL MANUFACTURING COMPANY, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNsYLvANI A CORPORATION or PENNSYLVANIA.

DENTAL AR'rroULA'roE.

Specification 0! Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 11,1913.

Application filed December 19, 1911. Serial No. 666,808.

To all whom. it may concern.

Be it known that we, JOHN B. DAVIS and llnauaxx LEUCHSENRING, citizens of the United States, residin respectively, in Lansdowne, county of I)elaware, State of Pennsylvania, and Norwood, county of Delaware, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dental Articulators, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to art-iculators employed bv dentists for obtaining the roper articulation and occlusion of artificia teeth and which comprise u per and lower members each provided wit 1 a model holding device and the said members havin hinged connection with each other the sai connection being such as to permit of opening and closin movements of the said members in directions parallel with the median plane and also permitting relative movement in a direction transverse to said median plane, and backward and forward movements relatively to each other; such articulators also includin condyle plates which are angularly adjustab e to provide means for accommodating the var ing re nirements of the cond vle paths of difl'erent individuals.

()ne of the objects of our invention is to provide a construction of articulator including means whereby movements of the lower member in directions to simulate the movement of the mandible of a human being may be facilitated.

Although the upper member of the articulator may be moved with relation to the lower member, it is desirable that the relative movements of the members thereof for the purpose of securing pro or articulation and occlusion of the artifioia teeth should be accomplished'by moving the lower member because it is this member which corresponds to the mandible and it is the latter which is moved during the process of mastication. It will.be assumed, therefore, that the upper part. of the articulator is to be-heldin relatively fixed position.

A further object of our invention is to provide means whereby the cond le plates at the opposite sides of thearticul ator' may be adjusted laterally towardand from one other in order that they may be moved into ositions corresponding to the condyles of the respective patients who may be under treatment. It is desirable and essential that these plates be separated from each other distances equal to the distances between the cond les of a patient in order that the lower mem er,carrying the model of the lower teeth, will move as nearly as possible along the same lines and paths as would the mandible of the patient under treatment so that the proper articulation and occlusion of the dentures may be secured.

Other objects and advantages of our invent-ion will be hereinafter referred to and described in the specification or will be ap- "parent therefrom.

In order that our invention may be more readily comprehended and understood and for the purpose of facilitating the description thereof, we have illustrated one from of a convenient embodiment thereof in the accompanying drawings but it will be understood that changcs and modifications in the details of construction may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from our invention.

In the drawings :-Figure I is a )erspcctive view of a dental articulator em odying our invention; Fig. II is a top plan view of the same; Fig. III is a rear view of the same; Fig. IV is a side elevation of the same; Fig. V is a central transverse sectional view on the line V-V of Fig. II; Fig VI is a transverse sectional view on the line VI--VI of Fig. II; Fig. VII is a sectional view on the line VII-VII of Fig. IV; Fig. VIII is a sectional view on the line VIII-VIII of Fig. II, certain parts being shown in side elevation; and Fig. IX is a sectional view on the line IX-IX of Fig. II.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the body part or portion of the lower member of an articulator and 9. the corresponding part of the upper member thereof. The said part 1 is provided at its op osite ends with extension members 3 which are slidable longitudinally upon the main or body part 1. For the purpose of causing sliding movement of the members 3 with respect to the part 1 we have provided a right and left screw 4 havin a milled wheel 5 thereon bv means of whic i it is turned. The opposite ends of the said screw have screw-tlu'cmilcd engagement with the inner ends of the members 3 which latter are secured and held in position upon the part 1 by means of beaded Ul-V nvr'umu c b screws 6 which screw intothe part 1 as' illu sitrated particularly in Fig.1

screws 6 project; g-B turningthe right and left screw 4' in one irection the-members 3,

are caused to move outwardly and by turn-- ing the same, in :the'opposite direction the said members'are cause to moveinwardly, such movements being lateral with'respect to the articulator structure. The outer ends of the members B'arel provided with upwardly extending parts 11 which are illustrated as being integral with the said members 3 but may, if desired, be connected in any other suitable manner; The upper ends of the upwardly extending parts 11 are enlarged, as indicated at 13, and are provided with circular slotted openings 14.

Condyle plates 15 are rovided at the opposite ends of the articu ator and constitute parts of the connection between the said ower and upper members of the articulator. The said plates arelocated outside of the upwardly extending parts 11 and each is provided with elongated slots 18 having circularly shaped ends. The ends 16 of the said slots 18 are surrounded by flanges 17 which constitute what may be termed hubs which are seated in the slotted openings in the enlarged upper ends 13 of the parts 11. The lower ends 19 of the said plates 16 extend across slots 20 which are formed in the enlarged upper ends 13 of the parts 11 and are concentric with the circular slotted openings 14 in the said ends. The said ends 19 of the said lates 15 are perforated as indicated at 21 or the reception of screws 22 which are adapted to en age nuts 23 having wings 24. Portions of tie said nuts 23 are located in the concentric slots 20 and the wines thereof are seated against the inside sur aces of the parts 11 upon opposite sides of the slots 20. The screws 22 are turned or operated to loosen or tighten the same by means of the milled heads 25. The upper member of the articulator comprises extension members 30 which are secured in holes 31 formed in enlargements or heads 32 at the opposite ends of the body part 2 of said upper member. These enlar ements are split, as indicated at 33, and tie split portions are secured together by means of screws 34. By loosening the screws movement of the members 30 in or out is permitted, such movement being lateral with respect tothe articulator-structure. The said members 30 may be clamped securely in any position to which the may be adjusted.

The outer ends 0 the members 30'are provided with reduced portions, as indicated at 35 which ortionsconstitme the intles of the'pivota or hinged connection ietween the upper and lower members of the articulator. The said reduced portions ings. The members ,3: arev provided --w ith slots, as indicatediat 10, through :which the r or pintles 35 extend into the elongated slots 18-intheplates 15, the latter bein secured upon the said pintles by means of the screws having-milled heads 38.

- 'By reason of the connection of the condyleplates 15 with the members 3 longitudmal movement of the latter, as above described, causes corresponding longitudinal movement of the members 30 and the pintles 35 formed at their outer ends, such movements being in a lateral direction with respect to the articulator structure.

It is, of course, understood that longitudinal movement of the members 3 causes lateral movement of the said plates 15.

The members 30 are scored or lined, as indicated at 39, and the spaces between the said scores or lines marked with the figures 1, 2, 3, 4, etc. for a purpose which will be hereinafter described.

The central art of the body 2 of the upper member ot the articulator is provided with an upwardly extendin bifurcated part 40, the upper end of which is extended rearwardly and. downwardly to form a flan e, as indicated at 41. The said downwardly and rearwardly extending ortion is perforated for the reception of the rod 42 which supports the coiled spring 43. The

said spring is held between a washer t4 9 which is seated against the rear side of the downwardly extending part 41 and a nut 45 having screw-threaded connection with the outer rear end of the rod 42.

The inner end of the rod 42 is provided with a hook 46 which engages a pintle M which extends across a slot 4L8 in the upper end of the projection 49, which extends upwardl from the body 1 of the lower member o the articulator. The purpose of the spring 43 is to return the upper and lower members of the articulator into normal position after there has been relative movement of the said members with respect to each other for any purpose. By means of the rod 42, the spring 43 and parts immediately associated therewith, a yielding connection between the upper and lower members of the articulator is obtained.

The part 1 of the lower member of the articulator is provided with downwardly extending projections 50 which are provided' with sockets in their lower ends which receive the inner upturned ends 51 ot' the bow-shaped device 52 for supporting the model of, the lower dentures.

The device 52 is secured to the downwardly extending projections 50 by means of the binding screws 54 having the milled heads 55 by means of which the same are loosened and tightened.

For the purpose of providing a suilicicnt amount of material for the screw-threads with which the binding screws 5-1 engage,

v I n VI'HLHDLE LAJE"? we haveiprovided-;the lower ends ofthe pros jections with sleeves having projections 56- thereon in whichsthe screw-threaded openings are formed. 4 y l., e

The :body 2 of the. upper member -v of the articulatoris provided with ,holesoro enings 60 into and tlirom h which the en s of the bow (31 project. 'fhe bow is secured in any position towhich it may be adjusted in the said openings 60 by-means'Of binding screws 62.. v The central portion'of the body Qof'the upper member of the articulator extends forwardly, as indicated at 65, and is slotted or cut away, as is indicated at 66. a

A screw-threaded opening 67 :is-formed at the center of the forwardly projecting portion and an adjustablespacing screw 68 is provided for the said opening. The said screw is provided with a milled head 69 by which it is turned and it is locked into whatever position it may be adjusted by means of a binding nut 70. The lower inner end of the adjustable spacing screw 68 contacts with the upper guiding surface formed upon a projection 71 upon the body 1 of the lower member of the articulator.

The purpose of the adjustable spacing screw 68 is to secure the roper distances apart of the members of tie articulator.

For the purpose of conveniently supporting the up er member of the artlculator in substantial y fixed position during the manipulation of. the lower member thereof to secure proper articulation and occlusion of the models of the upper and lower dentures carried upon the supports 52 and 61 therefor, I have provide the forwardly, outwardly and downwardly extending arms 7 5 having fiat disle-like members 76 at their outer ends which are adapted to be held in the hands and the 11 per member held" thereby in substantially xed position. The rear ends of the arms are provided with open-ended slots, as indicated in Fig. I of the drawin and are detachably secured in position y means of the stationary screws 78 and the milled headed tightening screws 7 9 which pass through the said slots. It is desirable that the arms 75 by means of which the articulator is held and supported during manipulation ofthe lower member thereof should be detachable or removable for the reason that the articulator would be more conveniently handled during the mounting of a model or models thereon. Also it is desirable that the said' arms -be detachable or removable for the reason that an operator who has been accustomed to. the use-of articulators which "are not provided with correspondingtmeans for holding and supporting the .articulators might prefer to'use the" same withoutfthe presence of such arms. The presence of these arms 75 makes it practicable for the operator to hold and maintain the upper member of the articulator in relatively fixed position and to manipulate and operate the lowermember of the articulator as has been hereinbefore described and set forth.

,5, -=In the use of the articulator after the models of the dentures have been secured upon the supports 52 and 61 therefor, it is held or supported in the hands or between the hands by means of the arms 75 and with any oneor more of the fingers located at the opposite sides of the same the lower member is manipulated either by pulling the same directly forward upon the pintles or by allowing one end of the said lower members toremain stationarv and moving the other end forward.

By reason of the fact that the slots formed in the condyle plates 15 are curved, it is obvious that the lower member will not have rectilinear movement.

By reason of the fact that the plates 18 are angularly adjustable about the pintles 35, the direction of the slots 18, constituting the condyle aths with respect to a vertical plane exten in parallel with the pintles, may be changed and in this way the paths of movement of the lower member of the articulator changed so as to conform to and simulate as nearl as possible the movements of the mandib e of the patient under treatment.

The movements of the condyles of different patients may vary sli htly and to provide a further accommo ation of our articulator to such conditions, the condyle plates are made removable by removing the screws 22 and the screws 37 so that said plates can be re laced by others having slots 18 of slightly iiferent contour.

In the examination and treatment of a patient for the purpose of providing such at-ient with artificial teeth, the dentist will ocate the condyles by .known means and mechanism, and thereafter will adjust the condyle plates and parts connected thereto including the pintles of the articulator embodying our invention in the direction of the axes of the said pintles, that is, laterally of the articulator structure, so as to position the condyle plates and the points of pivotal connection of the upper and lower members the same distance apart as the condyles of the patient under treatment.

One great advantage in providing means for adjusting the condyle plates and pintles of the articulator so that they occupy positions corres onding to the condyles of the patient is tiat the movement of the lower member will more nearly correspond to and simulate the movements of the mandible of-the patient than would be the case were the condyle plates and pintles otherwise positioned.

It is desirable that the same articulator BEST AVAiLABLE COP;

may be usedfor different patients and this may be done by removing the models of the dentures of one patient and substituting those of another, first, "however, making 'a record of the positionsofthe parts 30 by noting-the most nearly in alinementwith the ends of the part 2. 7

Having thus describedour inventiomwe claim:-- r

1. A dental articulator including up er and lower members,means spaced apart aterally of the articulator for pivotally connee-ting the ends of saidm'embers, and means for laterally adjustingthe points of pivotal connection of said members toward and. away from each other for the purpose stated.

2. A dental articulator includin u per and lower members for supporting mode s of the upper and lower dentures, means including pintles for pivotally connecting the said members, and means for adjusting the said connecting means laterally toward and from each other for the purpose of va ying the distance between the points of pivotal connection of the said'members.

3. A dental articulator including u per and lower members for supporting mode s of upper and lower dentures, pintles for ivotally connecting the said members at t eir opposite ends, and a right and left screw for causing movement of the said intles toward and away from each other or the purpose of adjustin the points of pivotal connection'of' the said members. I

4. A. dental articulator including u per and lower members for supporting mode s of the upper and lower dentures, means including pmtles for ivotally connecting the said members at their opposite ends, and means carried by the lower member for causing movement of the said connecting means in the direction of the axes of said intles toward and away from each other or the purpose'of adjusting the positions of the oints of pivotal connection of the said mem- )BIS.

5. Adental articulator, comprising upper and lower members, the up er member including a central body portion and havin pintles secured at its opposite ends whic pintles are movable longitudinall with respect to the said body ortion, an the lower member including'a ody portion having slidable members secured at its 0 osite ends, means-for connectin the said sh able membersto the said pint es, and means for causing longitudinal movement of the said slidable'members and the said pintles.-

(S. A dental articulator comprising upper and lower members,the upperymember including a central body portion which is provided with pintles. whie are movable longitudinally thereon and the lower member 1ncluding a body portion having slidable memlines or .scoresthereon which are bers secured at its opposite ends, upwardly extending portions secured to the outer ends of 'said shdable members which portions have pivotal and sliding connection with the said pintles, and means upon the body portion of the said lower member for causing longitudinal movement of the sliding parts thereonand thereby causing longitudinal 'mov'ement'of the said pintles.

, 7; A dental articulator comprising upper and lower members which members are pivotally connected together at their opposite ends and t-he'upper of said members having arms extending forwardly and downwardly therefrom to be held in the hands for supporting the same in relatively fixed position whereby the lower of said members may be moved pivotally, forwardly and in a lateral and angular direction with respect to said upper member.

8. A dental articulator comprising upper and lower members, the upper of said members having arms adapted to be held in the hands for supporting the upper member in a relatively fixed position, leaving the lower member to be moved relatively to the upper member.

9. A dental articulator comprising upper and lower members, the said upper member provided with pintles and the lower being) mom or being provided with devices having cam-shaped slots therein for engagement with the said pintles and the said upper member being provided with arms to beheld in the hands for supporting in relatively fixed position the upper member of the articulator while the lower member thereof is being manipulated.

10. A dental articulator comprising upper and lower members, the upper of said members having forwardly extending arms which are detachably connected thereto for supporting the said articulator while the lower member thereof is being manipulated.

11. A dental articulator comprising upper and lower members having forwardly extending model supporting devices and the upper of said mem )OIS having arms which extend forwardly, downwardly and laterally to points on opposite sides of the articulator structure and intermediate the planes of the said model supporting devices, which arms are adapted to be held in the hands for supporting the upper member in a relatively fixed posit-ion leaving the lower member to be moved relatively to the upper member.

12. In an articulator, the combination of a lower member having a body part provided with means for securing a model holdin device thereto, an upper member having a ody part rovided with means for secur- 11kg a model iolding device thereto, laterally a ustable extensions projecting from the ends of each of the said body parts, and

slotted plates secured to the lateral cxtensions from the body part of the lower memher, the lateral extensions from the body part of the upper member being movable in the slots of said plates.

13. In an articulator, the combination of a lower member having a body part pro-.

vided with means for securing a model supporting device thereto, laterally adjustable extension members carried by said body part, plates secured to said extension members and having elongated slots in their free portions, an upper member having a body part provided'with means for securing a model supporting device thereto, laterally adjustable extension members carried by the said body part of the upper member, and a spring connection between the said upper and lower members and which tends to normall} retain the lateral extension members of the said upper member at one end of thev slots in said plates.

Hiln an articulator, the combination of a lower member having a body part provided with means for securing a model supporting device thereto, an upper member including a body part having means for securing a model supporting device thereto, interchangeable plates removabl secured to the said lower member and provided-with elongated slots in their free portions, and a centrally located spring connection between the said upper and lower members;

15. In an articulator, the combination of upper and lower members, means for bold ing the said members in yielding relation with respect to each other, and angularly and laterally adjustable condyle plates having connection with the opposite ends of the said members.

their free ends portions and the opposite ends of the other oi said members projecting into the said slots and being slidable therein. 18. In an articulator, the combination of upper and lower members *each having model supporting devices secured thereto, means for holding the said members in yielding relation with respect to each other,

. slotted condvle plates secured to the opposite ends of the lower member the said plates being angularly and laterally adjustable, and the opposite ends of the upper member being provided with adjustable members which project into the slots of the said plates and which members are adjustable laterally to correspond with the lateral adjustments of the said condyle plates.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our invention, we have hereunto signed our names this 16th day of December, A. D. 1911.

HARRY R; BARBER, TILL-1AM J, RUSSELL. 

